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Topic:
The following appeared in a memo from the vice president of marketing at Dura-Sock, Inc.
"A recent study of our customers suggests that our company is wasting the money it spends on its patented Endure manufacturing process, which ensures that our socks are strong enough to last for two years. We have always advertised our use of the Endure process, but the new study shows that despite our socks' durability, our average customer actually purchases new Dura-Socks every three months. Furthermore, our customers surveyed in our largest market, northeastern United States cities, say that they most value Dura-Socks' stylish appearance and availability in many colors. These findings suggest that we can increase our profits by discontinuing use of the Endure manufacturing process."
Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.
موارد زیر در یادداشتی از معاون رئیس بازاریابی در Dura-Sock Inc، آمده است.
"یک مطالعه اخیر در مورد مشتریان ما نشان می دهد که شرکت ما پولی را که صرف فرآیند ثبت اختراع Endure خود می کند، که این اطمینان را می دهد که جوراب های ما به اندازه کافی محکم هستند و می توانند دو سال دوام بیاورند هدر می دهد. ما همیشه استفاده از فرایند Endure خود را تبلیغ کرده ایم، اما مطالعه جدید نشان می دهد که با وجود دوام جوراب، مشتری متوسط ما هر سه ماه یک بار Dura-Socks جدید خریداری می کند. بعلاوه، مشتریان ما که در بزرگترین بازار ما، شهرهای شمال شرقی ایالات متحده نظرسنجی شدند، می گویند که آنها بیشتر به ظاهر شیک جورابهای دورا و در تنوع رنگهای آن اهمیت می دهند. این یافته ها نشان می دهد که ما می توانیم با قطع استفاده از روند تولید Endure، سود خود را افزایش دهیم. "
پاسخی بنویسید که در آن مفروضات بیان شده و / یا بی دلیل را بررسی می کنید. حتماً توضیح دهید که چگونه استدلال به این فرضیات بستگی دارد و در صورت عدم اثبات فرضیات، چه برداشتی از استدلال خواهد شد.
NOTE: The above topic has wording similar to Argument Tasks 54 and 75 of this Website. However, if you read carefully you will notice that the topic and the task instructions are different. Hence, it is very important to read the topic as well as its instructions completely before you start to write your response.
Strategies
Regardless of the approach you take, consider the following steps:
a) Is there an alternative explanation for the events in question that can invalidate, either in whole or in part, the explanation given in the passage?
b) How can I break the argument into its component parts to understand how they create the whole argument?
c) Can I identify the line of reasoning used to create the argument?
d) What does the author of the argument assume to be true for the argument to be true?
e) Does the line of reasoning validate the conclusion?
f) Can I imagine an example that refutes any or several of the statements in the argument?
g) Am I able to evaluate the argument based on the quality of the facts and reasons presented in it?
Based on your responses to all or some of these questions, you must present a well-developed evaluation of the argument. You should take brief notes when you identify the arguments claims, assumptions, and conclusion. Jot down as many alternative explanations as you can along with additional evidence that might support or refute the claims in the argument. Finally, list the changes in the argument that would make the reasoning more solid. It is more important to be specific than it is to have a long list of evidence and examples.
The argument cites a study about the company’s sales of their Dura-Socks which seems to indicate that they are wasting money by continuing to use its patented and expensive Endure manufacturing process.
In developing your response, you are instructed to examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument, explain how the argument depends on these assumptions, and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.
Assumptions:
a) The assumption that the company is wasting money on the patented Endure manufacturing process underlies the claim that the company can save money by eliminating the process.
b) The assumption that customers buy the socks for their stylish appearance and availability in many colors over any other feature of the socks. This underlies the argument that the Endure process is a wasted effort. The style and colors may simply enhance the desirability of the socks, not replace the appeal of the durability.
c) The assumption that the survey results are valid and reliable. This underlies the company position that they are wasting money on the Endure process. The majority of the respondents to the survey may have been women for whom the fashionable aspects of the socks are more important than the durability. Too little demographic information about the respondents in the study makes the conclusion suspect.
d) The assumption that profits will increase by discontinuing the use of the Endure manufacturing process. This underlies the claim that the study shows they are wasting their money on this process. Profits depend on several variables. It may be that the customers will expect the socks to have a lower price point if the durability is decreased. They may not continue to buy the socks at the current price point, thereby reducing revenues to the company both if they lose sales or they reduce price in response to customer complaints.
e) The assumption that the survey of the northeastern US cities represents the buying habits of the majority of the company’s customers. This underlies the argument that the survey in this region should influence the decision to eliminate the expensive manufacturing process. Other regional markets combined may equal or surpass the size of the market in the northeastern US cities. Eliminating the Endure manufacturing process may have a negative effect on sales in the remaining markets.
f) The assumption that the advertising focus is ineffective. This supports the recommendation to eliminate the manufacturing process, as it appears that customers are buying the socks for reasons other than their durability.
g) The assumption that this recent study should determine the future of the business. This underlies the argument that the process should be eliminated. How long has it been since the last study? If these studies are done on a regular, frequent basis, these findings may be a simple aberration. The results of several studies over time in several markets would better predict actions that the company should take.
Your notes do not have to be exhaustive. As you begin to write your essay, your brain will generate new ideas. Make certain that you keep the directions in mind as you develop your ideas. Use as many or as few paragraphs as you consider appropriate for your argument, but create a new paragraph when you move on to a new idea or example of support for your position. The GRE readers are not looking for a specific number of ideas or paragraphs. Instead, they are reading to determine the level of understanding of the topic and the complexity with which you respond.
You are free to organize and develop your response in any way you think will enable you to effectively communicate your evaluation of the argument. You may recall writing strategies that you learned in high school or a writing-intensive course that you took in college, but it is not necessary to employ any of those strategies. It is important that your ideas follow a logical progression and display strong critical thinking.
NOTE: The above topic has wording similar to Argument Tasks 54 and 75 of this Website. However, if you read carefully you will notice that the topic and the task instructions are different. Hence, it is very important to read the topic as well as its instructions completely before you start to write your response.
Sample 1:
A company that has devoted considerable time and resources to patent a manufacturing process that uniquely positions itself in the marketplace is wise to consult its consumer base before making changes in its focus. It may be that Dura-Socks should eliminate the Endure process in order to increase company profits, but the argument cited has several weaknesses that should be addressed before permanently altering the features of the socks.
The company is relying on a survey of its largest market, the northeastern United States cities, to inform their decision to eliminate an expensive manufacturing process. One of the major flaws in this survey is the regional specificity. The other markets serviced by Dura-Socks in total may equal or surpass the size of the northeastern market. Eliminating the durability of the socks may have a negative impact on the purchases made in those other regions, offsetting any potential financial gain. The survey has too little demographic information to make it reliable. The age, gender, and lifestyles of those studied my influence their reasons for purchasing the socks.
Furthermore, this is a recent study. How regularly does the company conduct these studies? Studies are usually conducted to reveal trends. The company should compare the results of this study to those of previous efforts to determine the buying habits of its customers before making a decision about the future of its manufacturing process. The results of this recent study may simply be an aberration influenced by factors not considered in the study.
It is a leap from eliminating the Endure manufacturing process to increased profits. Company profits are dependent on many variables, and cost of manufacturing is only one of them. Consumers may balk at paying the same price for an item with fewer features which could lead to a drop in sales. In response, the company could decide to lower the price point. Both of these actions will result in decreased revenues and have a negative effect on the bottom line. Other factors that affect the company’s profits might be increased utility expenses, higher insurance costs, wages and benefits, and the cost of delivering the product. To assume that one manufacturing process is the greatest influence on profits is shortsighted.
Overall, the assumptions upon which this proposal is based do not stand up under scrutiny. Too many variables have been overlooked. Eliminating the Endure manufacturing process may benefit the company in the short term, but more studies and surveys across the company’s market place should be conducted before making this weighty decision.
Sample 2:
The arguer recommends that Dura-Sock can increase its profits by terminating the use of the ‘Endure’ manufacturing process which ensures that the socks that are manufactured by the company will last for two years. He supports his recommendation by citing two facts. The first refers to the results of a recent study which show that the customers have to buy new Dura-Socks every three months. The second fact is that the customers of Dura-Sock in northeastern United States cities have admitted to being attracted by the stylish appearance and colors of the socks. However, as it stands, the evidence provided by the arguer does little to substantiate the recommendation made by him.
Firstly, the fact that the customers have to buy Dura-Socks every three months does not necessarily mean that the socks are not lasting for the two years that they have been designed for. Moreover, this fact does not indicate that the customers do not value the quality of Dura-Socks. There may be varied reasons for buying the socks frequently. Incomplete information about the conduct of the study makes the results sound unconvincing. The reader needs to know the cross-section of people who participated in the study. It is likely that the people who participated in the study consisted mainly of students or sportspersons who may require socks more frequently than the others. Moreover, there is no indication either of the region where the study was conducted or whether this region accounts for the entire market area for Dura-Sock. In view of the above, it is doubtful if the results of the study will hold true for all the customers of Dura-Sock.
Secondly, the northeastern US cities cannot represent the thought process of all the Dura-Sock customers who may be distributed across the country. It is acceptable that the northeastern US cities account for the largest market of the company but it is likely that all the remaining cities of the country put together may account for a larger portion of the consumer market for the company. The fact that most of the participants find the stylish appearance and colors of Dura-Socks attractive does not mean that they are willing to compromise on the quality of the socks. It is likely that the quality and durability of the socks are of a greater importance in the minds of the customers as compared to the colors and the style of the socks. The arguer needs to rule out this possibility in order to convince the reader that the stylish appearance and the availability of colors are of more importance and that the consumers do not give much importance to the quality of the socks. In the absence of such evidence the termination of the ‘Endure’ process is not justified.
The arguer makes no mention of the opinion of the consumers who have not participated in either the study or the survey in the northern United States cities. As the company should cater to the demands of the maximum number of its consumers, it is necessary that their opinion should also be taken into account before taking the decision to discontinue the ‘Endure’ process. Moreover, the arguer does not bring out the financial amount that is being spent on the ‘Endure’ process. It is likely that terminating the process would not make a significant increase in the profits of the company. In view of the inadequate evidence provided by the arguer, it can be concluded that the argument fails to convince the reader that terminating the ‘Endure’ process would result in higher profits for the company.
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